asked the Minister for Health the charges applicable in respect of medical card holders hospitalised in Eastern Health Board long stay accommodation; if he will define long and short stay for the purposes of determination of charges; whether intermittent short stays over a period are regarded as long stay; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Hospital Charges.
106.
Charges are imposed on all persons, including medical card holders, in Eastern Health Board accommodation on a long term basis, in accordance with the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1954 as amended by the Institutional Assistance Regulations, 1965.
In deciding the amount to be contributed in any particular case health boards have full regard to the person's circumstances. Allowance is made for any commitments the person may have, e.g. rent, mortgage, insurance premiums, hire purchase payments etc. and a reasonable amount is left to the person to meet personal needs. In general 75 per cent of a person's income is taken by the board and the remainder is left to the person to meet personal needs but this can vary depending on individual circumstances.
Such charges are generally imposed from the date of admission to a long-stay hospital or home if it is reasonably clear that the person will be there on a long-term basis. There can be delays in some cases as it can take some time for the board to fully investigate a person's circumstances and decide on the appropriate charge.
In the case of intermittent short stays, charges arise for any days in excess of 30 days in a 12 month period.